< Modern Russian Poetry
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SILENTIUM[1]

Be silent, hidden, and conceal
Whate'er you dream, whate'er you feel.
Oh, let your visions rise and die
Within your heart's unfathomed sky,
Like stars that take night's darkened route.
Admire and scan them and be mute.

The heart was born dumb; who can sense
Its tremors, recondite and tense?
And who can hear its silent cry?
A thought when spoken is a lie.
Uncovered springs men will pollute,—
Drink hidden waters, and be mute.

Your art shall inner living be.
The world within your fantasy
A kingdom is that waits its Saul.
The outer din shall still its call,
Day's glare its secret suns confute.
Oh, quaff its singing, and be mute.

  1. ↑ Tr. by Avrahm Yarmolinsky.
      This work is a translation and has a separate copyright status to the applicable copyright protections of the original content.
    Original:

    This work was published before January 1, 1927, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

     
    Translation:

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